Refrigerating apparatus



YDec. 3l, 1946. G. M. ARMSTRONG 2,413,597 Y l REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. l, v1941K lNvEmoR. ENST/PMK? lsatented bec. 31),

UNITED STATES l-PA'Iglti Frictia i 'A ,Y n 2.413.597 A Y REFRIGERATINGPPARATUS' `George M. Armstrong, Grand'Rapids,"lv'lich, as' signor toNash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit.

Mich., a corporation of Maryland peiieetieii August 1,"i941,'s eria1Ne. 40741996 s claims. (c1. ziissi Ihe Apresent invention vrelates torefrigerator cabinets, and more rparticularly to door'construction for such cabinets. y n y It is an object of the present inventionito provide a rigid door construction for refrigerator cabinets having low thermal conductivity.

It is a further object of the present invention to arrange a cross member or brace in a refriger- "then atf'riglit vangles"inwardlyto form'r an L- y shape ledge 24 extending peripherallyf about' the '5"doo'rv'with' ledge 22. A frame member 26 'is se- .'eureu, preferably by weld, tothe "L-shepe'd ledge 24 extending longitudinally' therewith about the door' I 2 to'fo'rm a reinforcing frame structure for I' :the panel 20 and'tliedoor.

ator door whichuserves as a securement of the door latch mechanism and for the inner door panel.

It is a still further object of the presenti inven- Extendingv horizontally across the' door is a crossmember 5l!A comprisinga U-'shaped'memberV 52 and" a bar extension 54. nTh'ebar` extension 54 is telescopically'arranged with thememyber 52.' One end of the'memb'er 52 is formed with tion to provide a cross member which is readily and easily assembled in a door', and` which is yvec/onornicalwof manufacture.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization andmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantagee thereof,

"a depressed" channel portion 56 in central alignmentwith anv upwardly pressed channelfportion 5l 'between Awhich is adapted tos'lide'the bar 54.

v4,"Ih'e'en'd ofthe b'ar is hooked to engage the down- /w'ardly turned edge 59 of the frame member 2. "THDpSIJe" Vend f the U`shaped member 52 will best be understood from the following description ofspecic yernlvcodiments when read in ,conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in

which:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the cabinet .door taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the door .with the inner panel partially broken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one end of the cross member and the way it is attached;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an opposite end of the cross member and the way it is attached; v

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view -:Ltaken along line 'I-'Iof Fig. 3.

`Shown in the drawing is a refrigerator cabinet I0 having a food storage compartment to which access is had through an opening formed in the front wall of the cabinet and which openlng is closed by a door I2. The door is held in :closed position by latch mechanism I4 engaging a striker plate I5 secured to the cabinet. A suitable handle I1 is operatively connected to the latch mechanism I4 to unlatch and permit the .opening of the door I2.

The ldoor I2 comprises an outer metal panel or shell of dish-like conformation having upwardly extending sides which are flanged inwardly to provide a peripherally extending ledge 22 about the door. The marginal edge portion of the ledge 22 is bent to extend downwardly and is" recessed as at 6I) in thebigh't section with notches 62 cut in the leg Sections (iii. The notches engage the edge 59 of the opposed'side of the 'flaine Inembe'r 26.

The cross member 50 extends between the side walls and is positioned so that the legs 64 embrace opposite sides of the latch mechanism. To assemble the cross member to the door, the legs 64 are moved under the frame member 26 until the edge 59 locks into the notches 52, upon which the cross member is aligned for the outward movement of the .bar extension 54 to hook under the edge 59 of the frame structure along the opposite side of the door. The bight section is recessed in a manner to provide opening for the latch mechanism but having its edge 63 overlap to engage the marginal edge of the frame oi the latch mechanism. As the cross member is locked under the frame member 26, it will press the latch casing downwardly against the outer v panel. The latch casing is also secured by screws 61 to the frame member 26. By this arrangement there is provided a tight wedging of the latch casing between frame, cross member and outer door panel.

, Extending along the edge of the door is a door seal or gasket l@ adapted to engage against the Y together are secured by screws 15 to the frame 26.

The inner door panel I4 is preferably formed oi compositional non-heat conducting material, such, for example, as plastics. A characteristic of this type of panel is its tendency to absorb moisture that condenses thereon which causes a swelling and expansion of the panel, and if fixedly secured results in buckling or warping of the panel. To prevent buckling or warping, there is provided an enlarged opening 90 in the center of the panel through which is adapted to pass a screw 92 to thread into the cross member 50. A cover cap 94 is frictionally attached over the head of the screw 92.

Suitable heat insulation 96 is placed between the inner panel and outer shell 20. The insulation is slit for the receiving of the legs 62 of the cross member to prevent sliding movement oi the end 54 of the cross member along the frame member. The insulation is also slightly compressed by the cross member to further aid in retaining the ends of the cross member in interlocking relation with the edge of the door frame.

In the present arrangement the cross member serves both to secure the latch mechanism and permit a central securement of the inner panel. Though only a single cross bar is shown in the present invention, it is obvious that any desired number may be used for the further securement of the inner door panel and may be positioned either parallel to the member 50 or extend vertically between the top and bottom walls of the door.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise detail as shown and described, but wish to avail myself of such Variations and modications as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A door for a refrigerator cabinet having an lextending sides, a flange integral with said sides extending peripherally about said door, a door latch casing supported between said flange and said outer panel, a cross member having one end embracing said casing and extending in frictional engagement with the underside of said iiange, the opposite end of said cross member engaging the underside of the iiange along the opposite wall of said door, said cross member having a portionengaging the top of said casing for pressing said casing towards said outer panel, and means for securing said inner panel to said cross member.

3. A door for a refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer metal panel and an inner non-heat conducting panel, said outer panel having sides, a flange integral with said sides extending peripherally about said door, a door latch casing supported between said iiange and said outer panel, a cross member formed of sections in telescoping arrangement,one end of said cross member embracing said casing and extending in frictional engagement with the underside of said iiange, the

opposite end of said cross member engaging the underside of the flange along the opposite wall of said door, said cross member having a portion engage the top of said casing for pressing said casingA towards said outer panel, and means for securing said inner panel to said cross member.

GEORGE M. ARMSTRONG. 

